Self-propelled adzer



Feb. 2, 1960 Filed Jan. 13, 1958 H. H. TALBOYS SELF-PROPELLED ADZER 5Sheets-Sheet -.1

INVENTOR. 646%?! H. M1 50 V5,

BY flyuw/ M Feb. 2, 1960 H. H. TALBOYS 2,923,331

SELF-PROPELLED ADZER Filed Jan. 13, 1958 5 Sheets-SheetZ INV E NTOR. 3614?! A: aways,

BY MW/Mi Feb. 2, 1960 Filed Jan. 13, 1958 H. H. TALBOYS SELF-PROPELLEDADZER 5 Sheets-Sheet 4- Feb. 2, 1960 H. H. TALBOYS SELF-PROPELLED ADZERFiled Jan. 1a, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 /guwzku 14770P/V5V5.

My invention relates to an improvement in adzing machines of the typeillustrated in United States Patent No. 2,336,652, issued December 14,1943. This type of adzer is employed for-adzing railroad ties to providea seat for tie plates.

One purpose of the present inventio'n is to provide improved means forconveying such an adzing machine along the rails of a track. v 7

Another purpose is to provide means for increasing the efliciency andaccuracy of such adzing'machines.

Another purpose is to provide means for reducing the manual effortnecessary to employ such a machine.

Another purpose isto provide means for mechanically propelling the adzerhead along the track in a horizontal cutting plane, thereby saving theenergy of the operator and releasing his attention and energies formanually controlling the vertical position of the adzer head.

' Another object is to provide a self-propelled adzer with aself-contained propulsion means for accurate positioning of the cutterhead over successive ties.

Another object is to provide an adzer with a driving mechanism capableof producing a force feed into successive ties in order to speed up thework and utilize the full power of the engine which runs the cutterhead.

Another object is to provide an accurate positioning means whereby thetiring arm and shoulder movements previously required are eliminated andthe operator may utilize his feet and legs merely as abalancing meanswhile leaving the hands and arms free for operation of the cutter head.

Other purposes will appear from time to time course of the specificationand claims. 7

My invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in thefollowing drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my improved adzer; v FigureZ is aside elevation of the driving mechanism connected to one of the trackwheels;

in the Figure 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of the hydraulic andpower system of the self-propulsion unit;

Figure 4 is an elevation showing the juxtaposition of the drivingmechanisms on the truck frame; and

Figure 5 is an end view with parts omitted and parts broken away forclarity. V

Like parts are indicated by like symbols throughout the specificationand drawings.

Referr ng to the drawings, (and for convenience to my prior Patent2,336,652) my adzing machine includes a truck frame A, a main frame Bwhich extends outpositioning devices indicated generally at E in Figure5 axe utilized to maintain the adzer in position and align- 2,923,3fil

Patented Feb. 2, 19 6( ice example, as shown in Figure 5 and saidpatent, a removable sub-frame 78 carrying flanged track wheels 79'whichare positioned at the outer end of the main frame when the adzer movesalong the track is employed as a lifting counterweight when the adzingmachine is supported on one rail of the track. When the adzer is to beoperated, one cross-connecting angle 80 of the sub-frame is slippedunder the projecting ends of the side frame members and a second angle81 rests on transversely extending angle 4b and in engagement with toe4c.

' Disposed upon an engine platform 4d on truck frame A is a suitableengine 5 having a drive shaft 8, a driving :pulley 6 and a belt 7. Belt7 drives the cutterhead illustrated generally at D through pulley 9afixed to driven shaft 9b which is rotatably received in a suitablebearing member 9c. The details of construction of 'the cutter head andthe frame members of my adzing machine do not form part of the inventionas such and will not be further described. 7

Similarly, I have not illustrated the details of the cutting head. Itwill be understood, however, that it rotates about a vertical axiswithin the flexible wall 9d.

The adzing machine of Patent 2,336,652 was designed for full manualoperation. The operator or operators had to hold the adzer head downwardagainst the slight resistance of the counterweight. The adzing machine,with its head forced against the work, was also manually moved along therail on which it was supported. The

operator therefore had the double task of thrusting the the adzingmachine through the tie. In the present struc- Main frame B includes apair of side ture, the engine 5 operates not merely to rotate the adzerhead but to move the adzing machine along the rail on which it issupported and to feed the head laterally into the ties. The upward anddownward movement of the head is therefore'the only manual operationperformed by the operator.

10 is a hydraulic pump driven by the engine 5 through a V-belt 12running over adrive sheave 11 (located inwardly with respect to the endof engine shaft 8), and a driven sheave 11a. At 13 I have shown a wheeldrive unit connected to the track wheel 3 and at 14 a second unitsimilar to the first, and connected to track Wheel 4.-

A rigid bail for hoisting the adzer is indicated at 4e and an air filterat 5a.

Referring'now to Figure 2 as typical of the two drive units, a driveunit 13 is there shown as including a hydraulic motor 32, a speedreducer 21, and a wheel sprocket 18 connected to track wheel 3. Trackwheel 3 is mounted on axle 16 journaled in any suitable bearing 17 andrides on rail 15. Bearings 17 are mounted on the longitudinal framemembers.

Wheel-sprocket 18 is secured to the wheel axle 16 by a key 19, or anyother suitable securing means such as set screws. A speed reducermounting bracket 20 is fastened to frame member 1 and speed reducer 21is bolted to bracket 20. Speed reducer 21 has a drive shaft other, toobtain suitable tightness and to compensate for variations duringoperation. Normally, adjustments .are seldom needed during the 'life ofthe machine. While I have shownone convenientform-of adjustment, it willbe understood that many. other types are feasible.

Extending at right angles and located below the axle .drive shaft22'ofspeed reducer 21 is a secondshaft 26 to which is rigidly fastened amotor drive sprocket .27.

{head adjusting set screw and jam .nut. arrangement 33 traveling in asocket 33a welded or'otherwise suitably ,secured to the motor mountingbracket 28. The set screw moves the motor on the mounting bracket tovary the :tension in the drive member connecting the hydraulic motor andthe speed reducer.

, Extending outwardly from the hydraulic motor 32, as Eshown in Figure2, is a-suitable axle shaft 32a-disposed .above the shaft 26 of thespeed reducer. Drive sprocket 34, driven-sprocket 27, and a'drive chain'35 form a power connection between the hydraulic motor andgthe speedreducer. -Inlet and outlet conduits to the motor arershown at 36, 37 and38 with suitable pipe fittings for attachment to hydraulic high pressureand drain lines to be described hereafter. -A tank mounting bracket 39is fastened to the upper portion of the pump mounting bracket andsupports the oil: tank 40 of the hydraulic system.

The operators station C is shown in Figures 1 :and 5. To simplify theoperators task in urging the adzer head downward against the work, Iprovide a footgpla-te44 supported on any suitable frame 41 which :may beremovably secured to the outer end of the mainframe .B. Adjacent the topof the frame 41, I illustrate a handle 42 withhandle grips 43. Theoperator may employ either .or both the handle grips and the foot plate44, in order to control the level of the cutting plane of the adzerhead'. The rest control lever 45 moves the stand rest 'rod 46 intoengagement with the road bed 'to hold the adzer head spaced upwardlyfrom the WOlkrWhfiIl the machine is at rest. 7 i

The hydraulic system for operation of the hydraulic motors is showndiagrammatically in Figure 3. -Pump 10 for convenience has been locatedon the rear side of the engine platform of the adzer with itsshaftparalleling main drive shaft 8 of the engine. A high pressure line-5 1 leads from the high pressure outlet side 52 of the pump to thevalve 53. Valve 53 is a conventional 4-way valve having a high pressureinlet port. 71, high pressure outletports 72 and 73, a lowpressureoutletport 74, and .aspool 75. The spool is necked down at 76 and 77 toopen communication between the inlet and outlet lines as the handle ismoved. A pair of high pressure lines 54 and 55 connected to ports 72, 73respectively lead to hydraulic motors 132 and 32 respectively.Theselines .pass through conventional relief valves 56 and 57 showndiagrammatically. Another high pressure line 60 connects the twohydraulic motors.

A low pressure line 61 leads from low pressure port 74 to the reliefvalve 57, and another line -62 joins the two relief valves. A lowpressure hose forming a drain line 64 extends between relief valve 56and hydraulic motor 132, and another low pressure line 63 extends fromrelief valve 57 to the upper rear side of the oil tank 40. Another lowpressure drain line 65 extends between hydraulic motor 32 and the frontof the oil tank 40. Low pressure inlet line 66 extends between the oiltank and the pump, and low pressure drain line 67 extends between line:63 and the pump.

' power simultaneously from both motors.

The use and operation of my invention areas follows:

A single operator stands .at the outer end of the main frame B andcontrols the elevation of the adzing head by manual use of the handle 42and also by foot pressure on the plate 44. The adzing machine ispreferably so balanced by the counterweight sub-frame that a minimum ofmuscular effort is involved in lowering or raising the outer end of themain frame B. For example, the subframe '78 including'the flange wheels79 may be'so designed in relation to the outwardly projecting main framemembers 4a that themoment tending to rotate the adzer clockwise aboutthe rail 15 would be slightly greater than the moment urging itcounterclockwise.

It will be understood that the operator, by manipulating the lever 70,or any suitable substitute therefor,

can employ the 4way valve 53 to supply power to both fluid motors tooperate them simultaneously in .each of two rotational directions. Orthe operator can cut off Thus he can traverse the adzer head back andforth across a given tie or againstthe edge of a following tie.

No more muscular exertion is involved for this traversing movement thanthat necessary to operate the lever 70, or whatever control lever issubstituted for it.

To move the adzer to the left for example as viewed in Figures 1, 3 and4, the operator rotates lever 70 coun'terclockwise which in turn movesthe spool to the position shown in Figure 3. Movement of the spool tothe rightopens communication between high pressure inlet line 51and'high pressure outlet line 55. Hydraulic liquid 'thenflows from thepump to the 4-way valve '53 y and out line '55 through relief valve 57to motor 32 where a portion of it is' diverted within the motor andflows to motor 132 via high pressure line 60. High pressure outlet line54 has remained blocked by the spool. That portion of the hydraulicliquid passing only through 'motor32 returns to the tank through lowpressure drain line '65. Theremainder of the liquid passes through motor132 and returns to tank 40 via low pressure 1ines'64, 62 and 63. Themotors may be so positioned that passage of hydraulic liquid throughthem will rotate their drive shafts in the same direction. This is notessential of course since gears may be used to change the direction ofrotation of one of the shafts. Hydraulic liq'uid'fiows from the tank 40to the 'pump through low pressure inlet line 66 to.complete the circuit.

To move the adzer in the opposite direction, the lever is movedclockwise. In this position of the valve, line 55 is blocked and liquidflows through high pressure line 54 to motor 132. Part of the liquidpasses through motor 132 to motor 32, and the motors are drained to thetank as described. above. The only portion of the system through whichreverse liquid flow occurs. is in .high pressure line 60 between the twomotors.

To maintain the adzer stationary, the spool is positioned to block fluidflow past high pressure inlet .port 71. The liquid then merelycirculates from the tank 40 to the inlet line 66, through the'pump andback through low pressure discharge line 67. A suitable relief valve maybe built into. the pump housing to relieve the pressure in the systemwhen the engine runs while the "adzer is stationary.

Alternately, the fluid may circulate from the pump to the 4-way valvethrough line 51 and then back'to the pump through lines 61', 63, tank 40.and line 66. In this case, the spool would have a central longitudinal.passage with radial apertures extending outwardly to the surface of thethickened spool portions. In operation, lever .70 would position themiddle thickened portion slightly to the left of its Figure 3 locationsoas .to block inlet port 71. Fluid would then flow into thecentrallongitudinal passage, out theradial apertures to the branchoutlets leading-to outlet port 74, and through lines 61, 63', tank 40and line 66 to the pump.

Relief valves 56 and 57 are positioned to protect the pump and hydraulicmotors. They pass liquid through so long as the pressure within thevalve does'not exceed a predetermined regulable value. If the pressurebuilds up past this value the liquid is discharged through theconnecting portions 560 or 57a to the low pressure return lines 62 and63 respectively.

Low pressure return line 61 acts as a drain line when the system isvented down.

It will be understood that the control for valve 53 may be built intothe handle 42 so that the operator may regulate traversing movementwithout taking his hands from the handle. Thus the adzer machine may bemoved from tie to tie by the fluid drive and may be oscillated back andforth across the surface of the tie or fed against the edges of a newtie by a finger tip control of a suitable lever.

By means of my invention the adzer is made a completely one-man machine.The only time a second operator may be required is during the setting ofthe cutter head at the beginning of the days operation. During use onlyone man will be required to operate the machine. By relieving thissingle operator of the tiresome burden of moving the machine from placeto place, which becomes especially fatiguing in places where grades areheavy or there are frequent crossings, his energy is conserved so thathe may more accurately and speedily position the cutter head withrespect to the ties to be adzed.

As earlier mentioned, any suitable means may be provided for supportingthe outer end of the main frame B on the second rail, when the adzingmachine is being moved along the track having both rails. In operationhowever, it is mounted or balanced on a single rail as shown in Figure5.

To further increase the ease and convenience of operation, it will beunderstood that instead of positioning the lever 70 as shown, a suitableactuating connection or lever for the 4-way valve 53 may be arranged inclose proximity to the hand of the operator as he holds one of thehandles 43, so that he can operate it without completely releasing thehandle.

The foregoing description is illustrative only and not definitive.Accordingly the invention should not be limited except by the scope ofthe following appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an adzing machine adapted to run on an already positioned firstrail on a railroad right-of-way for adzing the surfaces of successiveties for the reception of tie plates, a frame structure including a pairof wheels carried by the frame for movement along the first rail, apower drive for at least one of the wheels, an extension of the framestructure disposed approximately perpendicularly to the longitudinalaxis of the first rail, a cutter head with at least one adzer bitmounted on a shaft, said shaft being rotatably carried on the extensionof the frame structure, an engine on the frame, power transmitting meansbetween the engine and the cutter shaft, and a propulsion system formoving the cutter head from tie to tie parallel to the longitudinal axisof the already laid first rail to thereby force feed the cutter headinto successive ties.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the propulsion means includes ahigh pressure pump run by the engine, a hydraulic motor located adjacentone of the main wheels, a first high pressure line between the highpressure pump and the hydraulic motor, power transmitting means betweenthe hydraulic motor and the power connection on the wheel, a return linefrom the hydraulic motor to the pump, and valve means in the first highpressure line for regulating the pressure in the propulsion system.

3. The structure of claim 2 further characterized by and including aspeed reducer located between the hydraulic motor and the wheel powerdrive.

4. The structure of claim 2 further characterized by and including anoperators platform located adjacent the cutting head and rigidlyconnected to the extension of the frame structure whereby the positionof the cutter head may be controlled by vertical movement of theoperators platform.

5. The structure of claim 2 further characterized by and including asecond hydraulic motor in operative connection with the other wheel uponthe frame structure, a second high pressure line from the valve means toan inlet in the second hydraulic motor, a third high pressure linebetween the two motors, a first low pressure line leading from an outletof the first hydraulic motor back to the hydraulic pump, a second lowpressure return line from the second motor to the pump, and a safetyvalve in each of the high pressure lines between the valve means andmotors.

6. In a hydraulic propulsion system for an adzer, said adzer including awheeled frame adapted for movement along a rail, an engine, a hydraulicpump and a hydraulic motor carried by the frame, a power connectionbetween the engine and pump, a high pressure line between the pump andmotor, a power connection between the motor and at least one adzerwheel, a low pressure line between the motor and pump, and valve meansin the high pressure line between the pump and motor for selectivelyadmitting hydraulic fluid to the motor to propel the adzer along therail.

7. The propulsion system of claim 6 further including a second hydraulicmotor carried by the frame, a power connection between the second motorand another adzer wheel, a second high pressure line between the valvemeans and the second motor, a third high pressure line between theinlets to the motors, and a second low pressure line between the secondmotor and the pump, said valve means being operable in one position toadmit high pressure fluid to the first high pressure line tosimultaneously drive the motors in one direction, in a second positionto admit high pressure fluid to the second high pressure line tosimultaneously drive the motors in the opposite direction, and in athird position to block admission of the high pressure fluid to thefirst and second high pressure lines.

8. The propulsion system of claim 7 further including a third lowpressure return line between the valve means and pump, said valve meansbeing operable in a third position to block communication between thepump and the first and second high pressure lines and to opencommunication between the pump and third low pressure return line.

9. A track adzing machine adapted to roll along a rail and series ofties including a wheeled frame, a frame extension extending outwardly onthe unadzed tie side of the frame, a rotatable adzer carried by theframe exten sion for adzing the exposed unadzed ends of the ties, anengine on the machine, a power connection between the engine and theadzer, balancing means extending outwardly from the opposite side of theframe for counteracting the weight of the frame extension and adzer, anda propulsion system for driving the adzing machine along the rail, saidsystem including a hydraulic pump operated by the engine.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,798,783 Buettner et a1 Mar. 31, 1931 1,820,636 Talboys -Aug. 25, 19311,830,977 'Banfer Nov. 10, 1931 1,978,513 Talboys Oct. 30, 19342,336,652 Talboys Dec. 14, 1943 2,815,191 Belts Dec. 3, 1957 FOREIGNPATENTS 529,240 Canada Aug. 21, 1956

